Stubborn and the Mutt

forty five | the moon

"Still need to go a few more, but if you want, I can shift forms? You can get a free piggyback ride."

The both of us laugh at the offer. Kindly, I shake my head. "I'll take up that offer when we head back. I'm not fit for a journey like this."

We share another small fit of giggles.

After a while, Andrea squeezes my hand and squeals. For a moment, I thought she saw something spooky and it frightened her, which frightens me. "Oh my word? Tomorrow is the ball! Less than twenty-four hours away, and I am so stoked!" Andrea squeals, raising our hands high which takes me by surprise. "We're going to look so hot? You definitely have to get ready here at the mansion, or even my house! We can get ready together, oh my word!"

With a shaky breath, I hum. "The time has come. I'm nervous."

"And your should be! He's going to announce you as his mate tomorrow, officially. Honestly, I think after you parading the mansion with his scent and mark, I'm sure everyone knows already, but it's always best to make things official."

"I get that." I nod, scratching my head before tucking loose strands of my hair behind my ears. Doesn't really help much since even despite having a silk press, my hair is quite short.

"Almost like a wedding. But not a wedding. But like a proposal, but not a proposal."

We giggle at that. I guess she's right. Like a wedding or proposal, but not exactly. There will be music, food and such, as far as I was told. It's a whole thing. A two day thing — today being day one and tomorrow being day two, the ball. I'm not sure what today's event is, exactly. Still, I guess it's not even the full intention of tomorrow, Micah announcing me as his mate, since the ball is a whole separate wolf-occasion thing, but I guess it also makes sense since everyone will be there. So yes, a proposal but not.

And I'm nervous as can be, I guess rightfully so. I'm sure he isn't as nervous. He's done this before, hasn't he? He's announced his first mate before, I'm sure, so this is like history repeating itself to him. He knows how to go about it, so it makes sense for him not to be too worried.

"I wonder if she was as nervous." I breathlessly chuckle once again in thought. I yelp a bit when my foot hits a stone and I slow down, but Andrea patiently walks besides me. "I'm sure she was."

"I mean, who wouldn't? It's a big thing announcing your mate, traditionally, because it goes back to history and purpose and all that good stuff."

"Were you nervous when Carlos announced you as his mate?" I look over at Andrea. Beats me, since I can't see her too clearly, but I know she sees me looking at her.

She nods eagerly. "I was, because I mean, it's nerve wracking, but I was happy too. Feels like it's something that everyone wants in my... species?" We both laugh at the word. "I mean, race, or wolf side, I don't know what to call it exactly. My people. It's what we want, so when it happens, Gert, it means so much."

"Having a mate?"

"Having a mate, being a mate, being mates with somebody. It's a beautiful gift from Goddess Luna, and it's something everyone looks forward to. You find your other half, and you feel overly complete. Over the moon, perhaps literally, since Goddess Luna is, you know... Depends on other wolves and other packs and their traditions and how they see her. But yeah."

"So, like a husband."

"Yeah. But more. Wolves don't care about getting married. In fact, for us, being married is being mates, although many won't exactly admit it. Sealing the bond by mating before Goddess Luna is the marriage, basically. But that person is your only person. I just can't explain it. So losing a mate is so... devastating. I've heard of wolves who've lost their mates die within a matter of days. It literally breaks a wolf to pieces, because you're half, you become one with another wolf, and when they leave or they die, you're half. Some die of heartache, heartbreak. All of that sad stuff. I cried when I found my mate."